Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Susan,

Don't give up just yet.

I got a gelding a couple years ago because the owners were told by 
their farrier that he had "white line disease" and would need vet care 
and hoof resections.  They opted to give the horse away. (He'd just 
been standing around for nearly 7 years.... they got him, and decided 
he was too much for them)

I brought Tai home, thrilled to death with this gorgeous bay Arabian 
gelding... especially for free!!!  Called the shoer, told him what I'd 
been told.  He came out, looked at his feet, and congratulated me on a 
great find.

Tai had some nasty crumbling, blackish rotten spots in the white line 
of his left front...pretty much from the toe to nearly his heel.  He 
had the same in both back feet... both outside near the heel.  He's got 
a mild front clubfoot, which had a pretty bad crack in it from the 
"dishing" of the hoof wall.

He wasn't lame on any of his feet.  He'd been well fed, and well cared 
for.  Stalled most of the time, limited turn-out on a few acres.

So, here's what I did.

I turned him out on 9 acres of pasture, 24/7.  I put regular steel 
shoes on him.  I fed him well, rode him (not a lot, but not because of 
his feet... I'd just moved and had a lot of stuff going on) and let him 
run with the other horses.  I put what I call "special sauce" on his 
feet.... not religiously, but quite a bit.

Today there is no evidence whatsoever of "white line disease" (if 
that's what it was.... my farrier says there's no such thing.)  Even 
the crack is gone.  HIs feet grow very upright, he's got beautiful 
cuppy soles, thick walls  and has been barefoot for the past several 
months (again, has nothing to do with his feet... money is very tight)

My special sauce is :

1 part formaldehyde
1 part 7% iodine
1 part venice turpentine

A brush works best, but a squirt bottle... (like dish soap or shampoo) 
works too.  Use chemical resistance gloves... this stuff is nasty.  But 
it toughens feet, and kills everything that ever thought of getting on 
a horses foot.

There is a product out... I think it's called Iron Hoof. And I'm pretty 
sure it's got the same stuff in it.  I smelled it one time, and it sure 
smelled the same.  Anyone know what I'm talking about? Comes is a spray 
bottle, and costs about $18 a pint.  (My version is cheaper) *grin*

So... there you have it.  It worked for me. Your mileage may vary.

Julie

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People in Alabama swear by manure tea as an herbal remedy for colds.
~ Lisa Redmond

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